Lucia's Reign

Chapter 1

~Serafina~~5 Years Later~

I woke up to the feeling of arms around me. I began to tense, but then smelling the faint sent of the Matalian palace I begin to relax. It was Mahdi. Then it all came back to me. Yesterday was our wedding.

Five years after defeating Abbadon and Orfeo we had both gotten our kingdoms in a place where a royal wedding was able to take place, and nothing bad would happen. Yet five years later, we still haven't found Lucia. But I didn't want to think about that now. All I wanted to think about was my future with Mahdi.

He began to shift in the bed, and I had to shift with him so that I was still in a comfortable position. I rolled over and faced him.

"Good morning my beautiful wife," Mahdi said in a sleepy tone.

"Good morning my handsome husband," I teased back at him.

"I still can't believe it. Five years, and now we're finally here."

I laughed. "Yeah. I almost can't believe it."

"Well you better. Because it's real. This is all real."

"I know. I guess I'm just afraid I'll lose you." I move my hand and lay it on his cheek.

"Don't think like that. We have two days where we don't have to worry about anything. Let's not think about anything bad, or any kingdom in these two days."

I laughed. "Okay. So what we let what we've been rebuilding these last five years fall apart? Have Lucia come rule while we lay in bed and not care?"

"Precisely. Of course if Lucia does come in two days, we'll defeat her, then go back to what we were doing."

"And what would that be exactly?" I ask mischievously.

"Enjoying each other. Having some fun with out consequences," Mahdi said with a small smile creeping onto his face.

I laughed a little. I ran my fingers through his hair. He had cut it for our wedding yesterday, and I wasn't too big of a fan, but it looked a lot nicer shorter. Mahdi also felt stronger. A lot has changed in the last five years. We were all stronger, wiser, and more confident. My scar had began to go away, but would still remain. A constant reminder of what I went through to get here.

I hugged Mahdi tight. Taking in his sent. It was so distinct, I could tell him from anywhere. Mahdi and Neela smelled very similar. Matalin waters, and the palace. They smelled like fresh spices and herbs that the terragoggs must use on the coast. Mahdi's sent was much stronger than Neela's was. Neela used more products that have her a wonderful smell when she bathed, Mahdi not so much.

Mahdi tightened his grip on me. I could hear his heart pounding against his chest. He softly kissed my head. I was still shorter than him, so my head laid right in the center of his chest, the perfect spot to hear his heart beat.

He began to rub my back. His hands trailed from the top of my shoulder blades, to the top of my tail. It began to ease my muscles that I didn't even know were tight. I hugged tighter, and closed my eyes. I felt safe when I was with him, and now I'm glad that he's mine now.

Just as I was getting ready to go back to sleep when the ground began to shake. I pulled away from Mahdi and looked around. The door opened and Des swam in. "We need you both right now," he said then swam out.

Mahdi got up and slipped his shirt over his head. He looked back at me. "Go. I'm right behind you," I said. He gave me a small smile, nodded, and left the room after Des.

I climbed out of bed, and got dressed. It took me all of five seconds to find my clothes on the floor. I pulled them over my head, and quickly swam after Mahdi and Des.

I saw them before I heard them. They were swimming fast, and talking in low voices. All three of us swam into my mother's old office, which became mine when she died. I sat down on the seat. A few advisors that were still around after the wedding swam in, followed by a few of Des's top guards. Then Yazeed who was also a head guard in Matali came into the room with two of his guards.

I could start to see my hair floating everywhere, and began to pat it down, and run my fingers through it to smooth it out so I didn't look like I just got out of bed. The door closed signaling everyone was present. I fold my hands down on the table.

"I guess I don't know exactly why we are all here this morning. I was awakened by Miromara's High Commander Desiderio. Desiderio, if you would please enlighten us on what happened this morning," I say. I changed my tone from happy and playful, to powerful and demanding.

"Thank you regina. This morning I was alerted to a brawl that started in the lower areas of Curlea. I was told to come and begin to separate the fight when it became intense. When the brawl escalated I noticed something was off about one of the merfolk who had started the brawl. I took the time to swim back to the palace to alert regina Serafina. That's when the explosion hit. I was already inside the palace when it happened, and didn't see anything. But General Breccan was at the explosion when it happened," Des said. He moved back next to what must be General Breccan.

"General Breccan, would you please tell us what you saw?" I ask.

"Yes regina. After Commander Desiderio left the scene the other guards on my patrol began to separate the fight. I couldn't tell exactly what happened, but it seemed like the merman who had began the fight began to glow an alarming shade of red. Then it seemed as if he exploded," General Breccan explained.

"So what you're saying is that the merman that began the fight exploded?" I question. I wasn't completely doubting it, I knew this had Lucia written all over it, and this was exactly what she would do.

"Yes, regina. When the smoke and silt cleared all that was left of the merman was his jacket."

"Do you have that jacket with you?"

"Yes." Breccan pulled a burnt jacket out of a small bag on his waist. I took it, and began to look at it. Sure enough on the inside of the jacket was a small golden 'L'. Lucia's way of telling people it was her.

"Did we lose any mer other than the one?" I ask taking my eyes away from the jacket.

"One soldier, and the other merman that was in the brawl."

I let out the tiniest sigh. I was relieved that we didn't lose too many mer, but we lost two. Three of you count Lucia's minion.

"Any injuries?" I ask.

"Everyone around the fight was tossed back quite a ways. It's still unsure how many injured. The rest of my patrol are still down helping," Breccan said.

"Good."

"Your Highness. We need to get down to the bottom of who this is. This could very well be an act of war," one of my advisors says swimming forward.

"Oh I know exactly who this is, and trust me this is her way of declaring war on me." I grab a fist full of the burnt jacket.

"What are you saying?"

"This is Lucia Volnero. She's declaring war on me, and it's not going to end until one of us is dead."